I was SUPPOSED to participate in the hill climb race. I bailed. Amber ALMOST had me convinced to race ... knowing good and well that I am not physically prepared to ride hard. HOWEVER, I know better than to show up for a hill-climb - at altitude ... out of shape. That's a recipe for disaster.
Instead, I slept in this morning. Got up and headed out for my first epic road ride here in Colorado. I am an endurance rider and I love to climb. However, I have been hesitant to tackle the big Front Range Climbs on my bike because I have a standard double crank. I knew I'd suffer ... and I did. It sucks to want more gears. I thought FOR SURE I was going to break my chain on the last push up to Ward on Left Hand Canyon.
I had a wonderful day. I feel bad that I missed the race.
It's a SERIES though. There will be other opportunities to suffer.
Today I suffered for free.
[Excerpt taken from my own person blog].
National Get Outdoors Day
National Get Outdoors Day is a new annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. Participating partners will offer opportunities for American families to experience traditional and non-traditional types of outdoor activities. Prime goals of the day are reaching first-time visitors to public lands and reconnecting our youth to the great outdoors.
I reconnected with the outdoors today! :) This was my first epic road ride in Colorado.
Left Hand Canyon Challenge
55 mile loop
Classic Front Range Hill Climb Route
DAMN standard double crank. (I think there's a triple in my future ... attached to a brand new road bike).
Hwy 36 out of Boulder.
THE home of the Giant Prairie Dog. 
Left Hand Canyon Road.
Snack Stop.
Snacker. (That's sNacker ... not sLacker).
The Giving Tree on the side of the road (Left Hand Canyon).
Now HOW IN THE HELL are the homeless people supposed to get up here to get this stuff? At this point I was about 20 miles outside of Boulder ... been climbing on my bike for well over an hour. Nobody comes up this way but bikers (on $2000 bikes). Hmmmmm. Makes no sense to me.
Greetings from the snow-capped Rocky Mountains.
The WALL.Mile 25: "Now you are climbing a big wall upon which sits the town of Ward." - Road Biking Colorado's Front Range
Ward, Colorado. Population: 169. Ward General Store. I LOVED this place ... however, it smelled a lot like marijuana. This is after 20ish miles of non-stop climbing. I was pretty damn delirious myself at altitude (9,450 ft).
These chocolate chip cookies were advertised as FAMOUS Ward Chocolate Chip Cookies ... well, it had to be the best cookie I've ever had! I initially felt bad about my food selection after working so hard to get to Ward (I had 30 more miles of riding to go at this point) ... but then a very Pro-Looking Female Rider came and sat down right beside me ... with a bottled Coke and a cookie :) ((Based on the bikers blowing my doors down, I think matching biking shorts/jersey/socks makes you faster ... I'm convinced to buy myself a matching outfit)).
SUPPOSEDLY, this was the first car EVER in Ward.
Classic Peak-to-Peak Highway view. "The Shangri-La of road cycling".
Peak-to-Peak Highway.
Looking back toward Nederland (Highway 119).
Boulder Creek.
Rock Climber.
Rock Climber.
Boulder Creek.What a wonderful day.
cool! i believe you may have the only pics in existence of the giving tree. i found a lovely little Droid phone there yesterday. i'll give it to one of my roommates or co-workers.
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